Interview with Patrick Monahan

Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?

Hello, my name is Patrick Monahan. I was born in Iran to an Iranian mother and an Irish father, moved to and was raised in the North of England. I was one of the biggest comedians on 'The Irish-Iranian-Teesside circuit' until Brexit closed it down.

How would you describe your show?

It's a show for the people, for anyone who has ever experienced life today or life in the 1990's. If you haven't experienced life today or back in the 90's then this show is for you too, to let you know what you're missing out on.

Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?

I have to - it was part of a contract that I made with the Irish/Iranian republic. I made a deal with them to keep performing at the festival until they let my people go.

What differentiates it from other festivals?

It's location, it's weather, it's reasonable house prices and its limited chances of getting skin cancer.

Do you think the Fringe has changed over the years? If so, how? Are these changes positive or negative?

The fringe has changed over the years, mainly by the original fringe goers and audiences getting older and having kids and then returning the following year with their children meaning that we have to do adult evening shows and kids shows in the daytime. I'm not complaining. I'd never complain.

What first motivated you to enter the industry? Who were your inspirations?

My inspiration for entering the comedy industry was not wanting to get up at 6am, 7am, 8am or any single figure time in the morning that had an 'am' next to it. My main inspirations in comedy were Dave Allen, Richard Pryor & Robin Williams. There all dead now. And I had nothing to do with their deaths. It cannot be proven.

If you didn't have your current job, what would you probably be doing?

Working at a supermarket stacking shelves, trying to find the people that take a pasta salad out of the fridge cooler section and leave it in the biscuit aisle.

If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

I'd be a prince from Saudi Arabia. They have a £10billion minimum budget and never have to get a night bus home trying to defend their hot pizza and chips.

What is your earliest childhood art memory?

My mate's fridge at his house - he had lots of good art work on it and I don't believe he had drawn all of it.

Do you ever feel any pressure to be a social commentator, or constantly update material to respond to events?

I feel pressured to entertain an audience at night, to make them enjoy every second of the show and go home smiling and happy.

I have to update my material every day because I write every day - but if my audience wants the news I can direct them to BBC News 24.

Equally, do you think there has been a shift in public sentiment that has affected your work?

Yep 100%. Everyone is panicking because we are an island full of immigrants and people married to immigrants. We are living during one of the biggest social and moral movements of our time! At the end of this we will all live happily ever after, but for now we don't know who's getting evicted from the house!

Describe the last year in 5 words or less?

80's, power dressing, mayhem, dancing.

If you could work with anybody, from any point in history, who would you pick and why?

I'd pick my school teachers and tell them to tell me not to worry about revising for my GCSE's because I'll never use them ever again in any part of my future life. I got a 'C' in home economics for writing a 300 word paragraph on how to make a pizza. Now I can buy a ready meal pizza and eat it before I can find a pen and paper to write about it!

Why would a performer opt to do either a ticketed event or participate in the free fringe? What are the benefits and limitations of both?

When I started doing Edinburgh festival there were no free fringe shows, I started just before it took off. I think it's a great model and would do it if I had to start all over again. It's a great chance for audiences to take a risk on seeing a show without splashing out £50 for a family of 4 people. But luckily, I've always performed at the Gilded Balloon and it's a fantastic venue that always looks after the audience – it's very family friendly and doesn't have old damp walls with polio and moss from 1611 on it.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to take a show up to the fringe?

If you've not done it before try the free fringe, they have a great range of venues. Choose a nice small room, get some nice posters done, get someone to help you flyer. And don't forget to eat, sleep and breath between your shows, cos it's a long old month!

When and where can people see your show?

I'm on at the Gilded Balloon Teviot in the Night Club room at 8pm every night. The show's called Patrick Monahan - Rewind Selector 90's' And if you have kids I'm hosting a Pub Quiz for Kids every day at 12pm also at the in Gilded Balloon Teviot.

And where can people find, follow and like you online?